Folding crib



E. E. GOWELL.

FOLDING CRIB.

APPMCATION FILED AUG.25. 1919.

1,429,869., P e ted Sep 19, 1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

E. E. GOWELL.

FOLDING CRIB.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.25. 1919'.

Patented Sept, w, 1922,

2 SHEE TS -SHEE-T 2.

' Even Z571 671%? a? Mall Patented Sept. 19, 1922.

ERNEST E. GOWELL, OF SOUTH PORTLAND,

MAINE, ASSIGNOR TO THE E. T. BURROWES COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE, ACORPORATION OF MAINE.

FOLDING earn.

Application filed August 25, 1919. Serial No. 319,619. n

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST E. GowELL, a citizen of the United States,and resident of South Portland, county of Cumberland, State of Maine,have invented an Improvement in Folding Cribs, of which the followingdescription, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is aspecification, like characters on the drawings representing like partsin each of the several views.

This invention relates to folding cribs for infants of a type adapted tobe converted quickly and easily into a coop at wil by lowering a bottomframe or mattress support thereof from a relatively raised positionwhich it occupies when thede'vice isserving a crib. The invention isherein shown as embodied in a wheeled type of folding crib and coopthough this particular form is merely illustrative.- The principalobject of the invention is to provide improved and simplified means foradjusting and fixing the bottom frame or mattress support so that it iscapable of quick and easy adjustment into either its elevated or itslowered position and being at all times completely under the control ofthe operator. A further object is to provide improved means for holdingthe mattress from displacement orfro m dropping on to the floor orwheels of the device when the mattress support is tilted in the foldingup of the crib. A further object is to provide improved means forsecuring and locking in taut condition wire or like netting ontothesurface of the frames which constitute the walls of the device. Theforegoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will morefully appear from the following detailed description, and thedistinctive features of novelty will be pointed out in the appendedclaims.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a lengthwise vertical section of-a foldingcrib and coopconstructed in accordance with my invention taken on line 1-1 of Fig.2;F 2 is a:-transverse line 2,2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section similar to :Fig. 2 but showing the cribfolded;

4 is a plan view showing the cribfolded;

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section similar to Fig. 2 ,but .showingthe mattress supvertical section on port in elevated position for use asa crib; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective illustrating the method of securingthe wire netting to the frame. v The device comprises side members 10,11 preferably and as shown composed of wood frames with wire netting orscreening 12 held taut over the interior thereof and composing the majorportion of the re spective sides. One important feature of the inventionhas to do with improved means for fastening and holding the netting in ataut condition to these frames securely and reliably without the use oftacks to engage the netting. For this purpose the wood frames arerebated along the inner edges of the outer sides thereof as indicated at18 and the bottom of this re bate formation is grooved intermediate thewidth and throughout the length thereof as indicated at 14:. A rod orstrip 15 preferably of wood is pressed into this groove with. the edgeportion of the netting wrappingtherearound and being clamped therebyinto said groove by said strip. The strip 15 is held. in place to clampthe netting and the netting itself is also further clamped by a moldingstrip 16 which is applied in the rebate 13 preferably so as to besubstantially flush with the surface of the frame. This manner offastening the edge of the netting is particularly advantageous for thepresent use. since there is no possibility of the molding splintering orpulling ofii to expose the ends of the wires and render the same liableto injure the infant occupant of the crib. Further there are no nails ortacks exposed or liable to .be worked out by the tension of the nettingto create a potential danger to the child. The side members 10 11 arepreferably equipped with wheel bases 17, 18 at front and rear so thatthe device may be readily moved about as is usual in this type ofdevice. Hinged at theends of the side members 10, 11 as indicated at 19are pairs of end members 20, 21 which are also hinged together asindicated at 22 at their inner edges whereby they are adapted to befolded inward together as indicated in Fig. 4. These end members arealso preferably composed of wood frames with interior net- ;tingportions as indicated at 23. The slde members 10, 11 are equipped attheir endswith inwardly extending vertical strips, such strips or cheekpieces at the ends of one side member 10 being relatively wlde asindicated at 24: and the strips of the other side member 11 beingrelatively narrow as indicated at 25, the hinges 19 of the end membersbeing at the inner edges ofthese respective strips. Secured to the innersides of the strips 24 are rods 26; These rods have one end secured tothe strip approxlmately midway of the height thereof as indicated at26*. Thence the rod extends out away from the strip far enough to clearthe same by a small distance, thence 1t extends toward the outer side ofthestrip as indicated at 26", thence vertically clownward as indicatedat 26 to near the bottom of the strip,thence diagonally back toward theinner side of the strip as seen at 26 and thence its end is secured tothe strip adjacent the bottom thereof an seen at 26 The purpose of theserods is to serve as guiding and locking means for the mattress supportor bottom frame 27 This frame may have a usual spring. wire fabriccovering to support a suitable mattress 28. The frame 27 is equipped atone side of its ends with eyes 29 which are slidably engaged on the rod26. The other side of the frame 27 may be equipped on the top thereofwith a suitable handle 30. The narrow strips 25 on the other side member11 are equipped with pins 31 adjacent the bottoms thereof and with otherpins 32 midway of the height thereof, these pins serving as rests orabutments to support one side of the bottom frame 27 as will now beunderstood.v In use the mattress support or bottom' frame 27 may beadjusted so that it is supported at one side by its eyes 29 engaging thelower obliquely extending portions of the rods 26 while the other sideis supported by the pins 31, this being the lowered position of themattress support and wherein the device is adapted for use as a coop.When the device is to be used as a crib the frame 27 is tilted upward bylifting on the handle 30 and then drawn up, the eyes 29 sliding alongthe rods 26 until they engage the upper inclined portions 26 thereof.Thereupon the frame is pressed inward and downward until the eyes 29 areengaged with the upper end portions of the rods 26 and the other side ofthe frame 27 being supported on the pins 32, the engagement of the sideedges of the frame I 27 with the side members 10, 11 preventing anytransverse movement or displacement thereof When the crib is to befolded the frame 27 is swung upward on the eyes 29 and then sliddownward until. the eyes 29 again engage the lower inclined portions 26of the rods 26 whereupon the-mattress and its supporting frame 27 may beswung inward so as to lie within the strips or check pieces 24 and thusthe end members may be folded in thereagainst and the entire cribcollapsed into a relatively compact space as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4.t In this folding up of the crib it will be noted the mattress 28 beingmoved to a vertical edgewise position would'be liable to slide downwardof its support frame 27 atnd come against the wheels or even droppingdown to the floor and this would also be true of any delicate clothing,covers or other articles that might be on the mattress. The inventiontherefore includes means for preventing the dropping down of themattress or anything resting thereon below the lower edge of the sidemember 10. For this purpose I provide a plate strip 33 secured'to thebottomof the side frame 10 and extending inwardly far enough toconstitute a rest or support for the mattress edge and to serve as aretainer for any clothing or articles that might be on the mattress asthe crib is folded up. The provision of the guide and support rods 26with the eyes 29 of the mattress frame slidably engaging .the sameaffords a particularly convenient and reliable means for shifting alsoprovides a particularly reliable means for locking and securing themattress frame in either of the suggested positions, there being nopossibility of casual displacement of the mattress frame after it isonce located in either operative position. I am aware that'the inventionmay be embodied in other specific forms without departing from thespirit or essential attributes thereof, and I thereforedesire thepresent embodiment to be considered in all respects as illustrative andnot restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather thanto the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A combined crib and coop, comprising end members and side membershinged together for folding, one of said side members equipped at itsends with guides consisting in vertically extending portions and 2. Acombined crib and coop, comprising end members and side members hingedtogether for folding, one of said side members equipped at its ends withguides consisting in vertically extending portions and diagonallyextending portions at the top and bottom of said vertical portions, anda mattress frame mounted to slide and swing on said guides and adaptedto be supported at one side, at either of two elevations thereby, theother side member having means to hold the other side of said mattressat either of two elevations, and the other of said side members servingas a lateral abutment for the mattress frame when horizontal andpreventing casual displacement thereof in the upper one of its twoelevations.

3. A. combined crib and coop, comprising side members and end membershinged together for folding, one of said side members having cheekportions at the ends there of, guide rods secured to the inner sides ofsaid cheek portions with vertical intermediate portions and diagonal endportions, and a bottom'frame or mattress support mounted to swing andslide on said guide rods and adapted to be held at either of twoelevations thereby, the other side member of the crib having rests tosupport the other side of said bottom frame at either of two elevations,and the other of said side members serving as a lateral abutment for themattress support when horizontal and preventing casual displacementthereof in the upper one of its two elevations.

4. A combined crib and coop, comprising side members and end membershinged together for folding, a bottom frame or mattress support mountedto swing andslide on one of said side members and for foldingthereagainst, and a lateral ledge support secured to the bottom of saidside member for holding a mattress or the like against downwarddisplacement.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ERNEST E. GOWELL.

